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Track Listings
| 1. The Summer Place |
| 2. Richie and Ruben |
| 3. Acela |
| 4. Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart |
| 5. Action |
| 6. A Dip In the Ocean |
| 7. Cold Comfort Flowers |
| 8. A Road Song |
| 9. Workingman's Hands |
| 10. Hate To See You Like This |
| 11. Radio Bar |
| 12. Firelight Waltz |
| 13. Cemetary Guns |
Editorial Reviews
Review
Wise guys with flashes of empathy: that's Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger, who collaborate in Fountains of Wayne. Since 1996 they have been writing finely observed, neatly rhymed character studies set to sleekly produced pop-rock.
They take their time. ''Sky Full of Holes,'' the fifth studio album by Fountains of Wayne, is their first since 2007, and the songs cut back on smirking. The album title comes from a line imagining how a 21-gun salute leaves a ''sky full of holes'' at a military funeral, in a kindly song called ''Cemetery Guns,'' a march accented by snare-drum rolls.
''Action Hero'' starts out describing a Walter Mitty-like family man on an unglamorous dinner out with the kids at ''a small Vietnamese on East 11th Street,'' and the chiming, heroic music sounds like easy irony. Then it turns out the man is getting bad news from his hospital tests, and his fantasies about ''racing against time'' to save the world turn poignant.
There's comedy too. Perpetually deluded hipster entrepreneurs ''Richie and Ruben'' invest in a boutique called Debris that for some reason can't sell a ripped, stained $1,100 T-shirt. In ''Acela,'' a bored guy riding to Boston realizes his girlfriend isn't meeting him on the train after all: ''All alone on the Acela/Tell me baby where the hell are you?'' There's a happier ending in ''Radio Bar''; after hanging out nightly at a bar where he's ''sinking lower and lower,'' the narrator suddenly meets a girl who asks, ''Why don't we go somewhere?'' That must be why there were peppy horns and strings all along.
Fountains of Wayne's music has its heart in the 1970's of the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Stealers Wheel and Nick Lowe, full of strummed acoustic and electric guitars, repeated octaves on the piano and wordless vocal-harmony choruses. Mr. Collingwood's nasal lead vocals can't help sounding twerpy and a little sarcastic.
But this album warms up to its characters. In ''Hate to See You Like This,'' which holds some echoes of ''Born to Run,'' the singer tries to revitalize a girl who sounds clinically depressed or worse. And even if Mr. Collingwood and Mr. Schlesinger can't resist a couplet as neat as ''Let's get your phone reconnected/Let's get this room disinfected,'' it also sounds as if they care about the people. --Jon Pareles
They take their time. ''Sky Full of Holes,'' the fifth studio album by Fountains of Wayne, is their first since 2007, and the songs cut back on smirking. The album title comes from a line imagining how a 21-gun salute leaves a ''sky full of holes'' at a military funeral, in a kindly song called ''Cemetery Guns,'' a march accented by snare-drum rolls.
''Action Hero'' starts out describing a Walter Mitty-like family man on an unglamorous dinner out with the kids at ''a small Vietnamese on East 11th Street,'' and the chiming, heroic music sounds like easy irony. Then it turns out the man is getting bad news from his hospital tests, and his fantasies about ''racing against time'' to save the world turn poignant.
There's comedy too. Perpetually deluded hipster entrepreneurs ''Richie and Ruben'' invest in a boutique called Debris that for some reason can't sell a ripped, stained $1,100 T-shirt. In ''Acela,'' a bored guy riding to Boston realizes his girlfriend isn't meeting him on the train after all: ''All alone on the Acela/Tell me baby where the hell are you?'' There's a happier ending in ''Radio Bar''; after hanging out nightly at a bar where he's ''sinking lower and lower,'' the narrator suddenly meets a girl who asks, ''Why don't we go somewhere?'' That must be why there were peppy horns and strings all along.
Fountains of Wayne's music has its heart in the 1970's of the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Stealers Wheel and Nick Lowe, full of strummed acoustic and electric guitars, repeated octaves on the piano and wordless vocal-harmony choruses. Mr. Collingwood's nasal lead vocals can't help sounding twerpy and a little sarcastic.
But this album warms up to its characters. In ''Hate to See You Like This,'' which holds some echoes of ''Born to Run,'' the singer tries to revitalize a girl who sounds clinically depressed or worse. And even if Mr. Collingwood and Mr. Schlesinger can't resist a couplet as neat as ''Let's get your phone reconnected/Let's get this room disinfected,'' it also sounds as if they care about the people. --Jon Pareles
Product Description
Unlike the iconic Ft. Wayne NJ garden store that inspired its name, Fountains of Wayne are still very much open for business. In fact, their new album Sky Full of Holes sounds like a whole new beginning for the band and its powerhouse songwriting duo Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger. Called, ''full-fledged art heroes'' by The Dean of Rock Critics Robert Christgau, FOW continue their reign as pop music masters, while Collingwood and Schlesinger also explore new frontiers within their unique respective songwriting aesthetics. Ranging from high-energy power pop to intimate, acoustic-driven ballads, Sky Full of Holes tracks ''The Summer Place'' and ''Richie And Ruben'' showcase the band's renowned storytelling abilities and flair for creating memorable characters; elsewhere, the album takes a more impressionistic approach, as in the shimmering ''Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart'' and the elegiac ''Cemetery Guns.'' Sky Full of Holes is Fountains' most successful distillation of their musical maxims to date, but it's also a whole hell of a lot of fun.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Polar Bear
Format:MP3 Music
"Sky Full Of Holes" is the 5th studio record from Fountains of Wayne and clearly one of their best. Named after a now-closed ornament store in NJ, they have a unique power pop sound with vivid and inspiring lyrics. Filled with catchy hooks and sweet melodies, "Sky" shows the growth and evolution of the band since their break through song "Stacy's Mom." Their songs tell a variety of stories, some entertaining, some funny, and some sad. "Richie and Ruben" is a perfect example. Written about two guys blow all their friends' money on get-rich-quick schemes, I found myself laughing from the start with lines like this: "They opened up a bar called Living Hell/Right from the start, it didn't go too well." "Acela" has some awesome blues-influenced pop grooves that will have you bouncing around in no time. "A Road Song" features some country-style twangs and is about a love letter written by a rock musician. It has some cool hooks and you'll be singing the chorus long after the song is over. If you like your music crisp and fresh with a lot of witty, humorous lyrics, you're going to love this! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase
Everyone who owned a radio between 2000 and the current day has likely heard "Stacy's Mom." And while that snarky, little masterpiece of a pop tune is still brilliant and timeless in its own right, Fountains of Wayne is much more than even a hit like "Stacy's Mom" allows.
Sky Full of Holes, the troupe's fifth official studio album, is a gorgeous collection of strikingly memorable powerpop songs. And while the Fountains have always been melodically brilliant, compositionally inventive, and infinitely witty- Sky Full of Holes is (somehow) easily their greatest project to date; and additionally, one of 2011's best releases.
Fountain leaders Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger are the modern-day Lennon/McCartney, and that's no exaggeration. Their uncanny ability to craft satiating singles and high-caliber pop tunes has gone nearly unmatched throughout the past decade- And though I rarely agree with the publication, Rolling Stone`s decision to name Fountains of Wayne "`the voice' of Generation X upon the collapse of Nirvana" is more than fitting.
Sky Full of Holes exemplifies this "voice" even more aptly than even culturally relevant hits such as "Valley of Malls" and "Someone to Love" did previously. Two off-beat entrepreneurs attempt to overcome the waning economy in "Richie and Ruben," the hardworking American gets an admirable nod in "Workingman's Hands," the overly-produced synth-pop of the the 2010's era is astutely parodied in "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart," and the album's poignant finale ("Cemetery Guns") is a military-themed requiem for the ages. In a nutshell, Sky is 2011's own personal soundtrack.
Not only is the lyrical material relevant; but also, the musical material is supreme in all respects. Production is crisp, but far from overdone (sample "Acela" for the greatest balance of raw and smooth). Arrangements are full, colourful, and appropriate (see "A Dip in the Ocean," "Radio Bar," and "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" for the prime of the prime examples). Oh, and the melodies... And harmonies... They are effortless, yet completely flawless. "Cold Comfort Flowers," "Firelight Waltz," and "Action Hero" are the most noteworthy exemplifications, though all thirteen tunes are rich in the melodic department.
Basically, Sky Full of Holes is a must-own. Powerpop at its best, and one of the best of the year. Don't miss it.
Sky Full of Holes, the troupe's fifth official studio album, is a gorgeous collection of strikingly memorable powerpop songs. And while the Fountains have always been melodically brilliant, compositionally inventive, and infinitely witty- Sky Full of Holes is (somehow) easily their greatest project to date; and additionally, one of 2011's best releases.
Fountain leaders Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger are the modern-day Lennon/McCartney, and that's no exaggeration. Their uncanny ability to craft satiating singles and high-caliber pop tunes has gone nearly unmatched throughout the past decade- And though I rarely agree with the publication, Rolling Stone`s decision to name Fountains of Wayne "`the voice' of Generation X upon the collapse of Nirvana" is more than fitting.
Sky Full of Holes exemplifies this "voice" even more aptly than even culturally relevant hits such as "Valley of Malls" and "Someone to Love" did previously. Two off-beat entrepreneurs attempt to overcome the waning economy in "Richie and Ruben," the hardworking American gets an admirable nod in "Workingman's Hands," the overly-produced synth-pop of the the 2010's era is astutely parodied in "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart," and the album's poignant finale ("Cemetery Guns") is a military-themed requiem for the ages. In a nutshell, Sky is 2011's own personal soundtrack.
Not only is the lyrical material relevant; but also, the musical material is supreme in all respects. Production is crisp, but far from overdone (sample "Acela" for the greatest balance of raw and smooth). Arrangements are full, colourful, and appropriate (see "A Dip in the Ocean," "Radio Bar," and "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" for the prime of the prime examples). Oh, and the melodies... And harmonies... They are effortless, yet completely flawless. "Cold Comfort Flowers," "Firelight Waltz," and "Action Hero" are the most noteworthy exemplifications, though all thirteen tunes are rich in the melodic department.
Basically, Sky Full of Holes is a must-own. Powerpop at its best, and one of the best of the year. Don't miss it.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Gena Chereck
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The first thing that strikes me about 'Sky Full of Holes,' the fifth studio album by the New York power-pop quartet Fountains Of Wayne, is how the band has stripped back the '80s New Wave cheese that marked their previous album (2007's amusing, if lightweight, 'Traffic & Weather') in favor of a rootsier sound that often recalls the Jayhawks and early Wilco.
The band has dabbled in country and folky sounds in the past -- most notably on "Valley Winter Song" and "Hung Up On You" from their 2003 commercial breakthrough 'Welcome Interstate Managers,' "Fire in the Canyon" and "Seatbacks and Traytables" from 'Traffic & Weather,' and a few rarities like their covers of Ricky Nelson's "Today's Teardrops" and Jackson Browne's "These Days" (as well as spare originals like "Imperia" and "Places") -- but they seem to be doing a lot more of it here. I especially notice it on "Workingman's Hands" (a mostly respectful portrait, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor: "Now your Uncle John walked a mile to school in a storm / And it was uphill both ways"), the sweet "A Road Song," the gorgeous "Firelight Waltz," and the haunting "Cemetery Guns"; plus, the chugging, mid-tempo "Acela," about a lovelorn boozer on a train, has an almost bluesy sound; and even the hilarious "Richie and Ruben" and the brassy, nostalgic "Radio Bar" are noticeably less reliant on guitar crunch and jangle than most of the band's other up-tempo numbers, though no less hooky.
Of course, the band's signature power-pop can still be found here, especially on the opening track "The Summer Place," "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart," the psychedelic "Cold Comfort Flowers," the breezy summer anthem "A Dip in the Ocean," the urgent choruses of "Action Hero," and even the slow-burn ballad "Hate to See You Like This."
The other thing that strikes me is how the lyrics -- by bassist Adam Schlesinger and guitarist/lead singer Chris Collingwood -- seem a little darker and more mature than usual. The pair has long had a penchant for clever character sketches and portraits of day-to-day life (growing up in suburban NY and New Jersey on 1999's 'Utopia Parkway,' personal and professional woes of nine-to-fivers on 'Welcome Interstate Managers,' etc.) peppered with down-to-earth, matter-of-fact references to pop culture and brand names. 'Sky Full of Holes' has more of the same, but with gentler humor and more sympathy: In "Richie and Ruben," no matter how misguided the wannabe-entrepreneur title characters may be, the satire's real target is the first-person narrator who has kept lending them money despite the total lack of return on his investments; "Hate to See You Like This," although similar to the self-destructive-girl ode "She's Got A Problem" (from the band's 1996 self-titled debut), finds a better balance between mild ribbing and tender affection as its narrator nudges a female friend out of a deep depression ("You can't just watch infomercials forever / If you need a hand, why don't you take mine?"); "A Road Song," like the previous album's "Hotel Majestic," deals with the touring-musician life in witty detail, but in a much less complaining tone as its narrator keeps in touch with a loved one back home; and "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" opens with a funny image ("Staring at the sun with no pants on") only to give way to more poetic observations ("Melancholy comes like a robin at your window"). A couple of character studies find the band addressing middle-age concerns: In "The Summer Place," a 40-year-old woman reflects on her teenage fears and humiliations when she visits her parents' old vacation home; and in "Action Hero," which opens with a harried family man on a mundane outing ("[H]is wife begins to sneeze / And his son is throwing peas and eating with his feet"), the protagonist's seemingly silly daydreams turn extra poignant (especially the notion of "racing against time") when he finds himself confronted with heart trouble. Most striking of all is the closing track, "Cemetery Guns," a touchingly understated portrait of a military funeral.
So, where would I say this stands among FOW's body of work? I wouldn't call it a departure, so much as simply a natural progression in the band's growth -- from the sweet-and-crunchy nice-guy rock of their debut, to the punchier and more cohesive 'Utopia Parkway' (still my favorite album of theirs), to the more ambitious and eclectic 'Welcome Interstate Managers' (with 'Traffic & Weather' something of an artistic step backwards, albeit a fun one). 'Sky Full of Holes' is probably not the first FOW CD I would recommend to beginning fans, but longtime fans may find it rewarding.
The band has dabbled in country and folky sounds in the past -- most notably on "Valley Winter Song" and "Hung Up On You" from their 2003 commercial breakthrough 'Welcome Interstate Managers,' "Fire in the Canyon" and "Seatbacks and Traytables" from 'Traffic & Weather,' and a few rarities like their covers of Ricky Nelson's "Today's Teardrops" and Jackson Browne's "These Days" (as well as spare originals like "Imperia" and "Places") -- but they seem to be doing a lot more of it here. I especially notice it on "Workingman's Hands" (a mostly respectful portrait, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor: "Now your Uncle John walked a mile to school in a storm / And it was uphill both ways"), the sweet "A Road Song," the gorgeous "Firelight Waltz," and the haunting "Cemetery Guns"; plus, the chugging, mid-tempo "Acela," about a lovelorn boozer on a train, has an almost bluesy sound; and even the hilarious "Richie and Ruben" and the brassy, nostalgic "Radio Bar" are noticeably less reliant on guitar crunch and jangle than most of the band's other up-tempo numbers, though no less hooky.
Of course, the band's signature power-pop can still be found here, especially on the opening track "The Summer Place," "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart," the psychedelic "Cold Comfort Flowers," the breezy summer anthem "A Dip in the Ocean," the urgent choruses of "Action Hero," and even the slow-burn ballad "Hate to See You Like This."
The other thing that strikes me is how the lyrics -- by bassist Adam Schlesinger and guitarist/lead singer Chris Collingwood -- seem a little darker and more mature than usual. The pair has long had a penchant for clever character sketches and portraits of day-to-day life (growing up in suburban NY and New Jersey on 1999's 'Utopia Parkway,' personal and professional woes of nine-to-fivers on 'Welcome Interstate Managers,' etc.) peppered with down-to-earth, matter-of-fact references to pop culture and brand names. 'Sky Full of Holes' has more of the same, but with gentler humor and more sympathy: In "Richie and Ruben," no matter how misguided the wannabe-entrepreneur title characters may be, the satire's real target is the first-person narrator who has kept lending them money despite the total lack of return on his investments; "Hate to See You Like This," although similar to the self-destructive-girl ode "She's Got A Problem" (from the band's 1996 self-titled debut), finds a better balance between mild ribbing and tender affection as its narrator nudges a female friend out of a deep depression ("You can't just watch infomercials forever / If you need a hand, why don't you take mine?"); "A Road Song," like the previous album's "Hotel Majestic," deals with the touring-musician life in witty detail, but in a much less complaining tone as its narrator keeps in touch with a loved one back home; and "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" opens with a funny image ("Staring at the sun with no pants on") only to give way to more poetic observations ("Melancholy comes like a robin at your window"). A couple of character studies find the band addressing middle-age concerns: In "The Summer Place," a 40-year-old woman reflects on her teenage fears and humiliations when she visits her parents' old vacation home; and in "Action Hero," which opens with a harried family man on a mundane outing ("[H]is wife begins to sneeze / And his son is throwing peas and eating with his feet"), the protagonist's seemingly silly daydreams turn extra poignant (especially the notion of "racing against time") when he finds himself confronted with heart trouble. Most striking of all is the closing track, "Cemetery Guns," a touchingly understated portrait of a military funeral.
So, where would I say this stands among FOW's body of work? I wouldn't call it a departure, so much as simply a natural progression in the band's growth -- from the sweet-and-crunchy nice-guy rock of their debut, to the punchier and more cohesive 'Utopia Parkway' (still my favorite album of theirs), to the more ambitious and eclectic 'Welcome Interstate Managers' (with 'Traffic & Weather' something of an artistic step backwards, albeit a fun one). 'Sky Full of Holes' is probably not the first FOW CD I would recommend to beginning fans, but longtime fans may find it rewarding.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic album!!
I can't believe this was only $6. This is another in a series of killer albums by a highly underrated band. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chris
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasantly surprised by this outing
I am a big fan of Fountains since "Welcome All Freeway Managers". I bought on MP3 to be up on latest songs before going to concert. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gail Mc2
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Sky Full of Holes" is Fountains of W
Usually by their sixth album, a rock group has become self-imitative and treacly, but FOW just keeps getting stronger and more fluent in their seamless fusion of the pop music... Read more
Published 2 months ago by David A. Malm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Has a surprise around every corner, and I love it!
Fountains of Wayne burst on the scene in the mid-1990s, and have been producing that great Power-Pop sound ever since. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kurt A. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars
FOW best
This is a great FOW cd. I love almost every song. The guys have really developed over the years into a first rate band. Strongest album yet in my opinion. -jp
Published 6 months ago by J. Parry
5.0 out of 5 stars
Catchy melodies, good modern pop
I'm new to Fountains of Wayne, and this album is a good introduction. Most of the songs are upbeat, and there's a ballad or two as well. The lead singer is excellent. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Sonoma's Davey
4.0 out of 5 stars
Indie rockers sport new grown up sound
By Jim Clark, publisher Lee County Courier, Tupelo, MS
I like interesting bands with arty poets, who seem to have a purpose -- a reason behind everything they do or... Read more
I like interesting bands with arty poets, who seem to have a purpose -- a reason behind everything they do or... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jim Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars
FOW Keeps On Keepin' On
Great lyrics, wonderful pop melodies, wonderfully executed. These guys are way under-appreciated/unknown by the general public. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mister Mash
4.0 out of 5 stars
FOW Sky Full of Holes
The only thing wrong with this cd is that it is not long enough.
I love the clever lyrics, catchy riffs and hooks, and beautiful harmonies! Read more
I love the clever lyrics, catchy riffs and hooks, and beautiful harmonies! Read more
Published 17 months ago by julie r.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Opps
I expected the fountain boys to step up, not back. In my opinion, it didn't happen. My first foray into their music was "Traffic and Weather", their previous CD. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Bruce E. Talgo
